A few weeks after the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines in California, there are still many questions for people trying to plan their vaccinations.
If you live or work in Riverside County, this is what you need to know about the process of getting a vaccine from the Public Health Agency. (The province also works with community partners – such as pharmacies and emergency care facilities – who manage their own systems.)
The people who can currently be vaccinated are health care workers, residents of long-term care institutions and people 65 and older who live or work in Riverside County. If you are not yet eligible, sign up for notifications from the state at myturn.ca.gov.
This is the latest information available for Riverside County. Los Angeles County information is here; Orange County information here.
Make a first appointment
First things first: bookmark Riverside County’s vaccination website: rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine.
The province operates several large distribution sites, including the Indio and Perris fairs, Corona High School and Lake Elsinore Stadium. In a purple table on the website you can see in which places appointments are available. Click on the link in the right-hand column to start the process. If it says ‘Full’, try again one day.
Until February 8, the province will set aside almost all new appointments for people aged 85 and older. If you fall into the group, click on the blue button that says, ‘Click here for 85 years and older to check availability.’
You can also call 2-1-1 from within the country to get help, in English or Spanish, to schedule an appointment.
Jose Arballo Jr., senior public information specialist at the Public Health Agency, said the province usually publishes public communications announcing the availability of appointments.
New appointments are usually opened at 12 noon. On a recent day, more than 10,000 appointments came online at noon and were fully booked within 34 minutes, Arballo said.
So destroy your browser on rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine as close to noon as possible to have the best chance of making an appointment.
Get your first shot
When the time comes for your first appointment, go to the specified distribution site. Some are boarding; some are driving through, in which you stay the whole process in your car.
Arballo said people should not arrive more than 30 minutes early to prevent overcrowding. Some pitches are outside, so look at the weather and get dressed. Officials have relocated operations indoors for inclement weather, if possible. Wear a mask (or two).
If you arrive and queue, the selectors will make sure you have an appointment and check the time again. You will then be taken to a check-in area. You must show your identification to confirm your age and right of residence and answer a few questions. (If you work in the province or in an industry that is currently eligible, you must also provide proof of this.)
After signing up, you will wait until a technician is available to give you a chance. Research has shown that smiling when you get the chance can reduce pain and stress. Try it.
After your shot, you will receive a vaccination card indicating that you have received your first dose. It is also noted what type of vaccine you received and the date on which you should receive your second dose (21 days after the first for the Pfizer vaccine; 28 days thereafter for Moderna).
You will also be led to a waiting area for a period of 15 minutes. This is just in case of very rare allergic reactions. After finishing 15 minutes, confirm to an observer that you are OK and on your way.
The whole process can take from 30 minutes to two hours, Arballo said, depending on how many people are in line.
Get an appointment for your second dose
Arballo said you will be notified – whether via the appointment system or by email – when it’s time for your second appointment. Instructions will be given for making the appointment.
You should receive the same vaccine – Pfizer for Pfizer, Moderna for Moderna – but you do not have to get it at the same distribution site, Arballo said.
Other situations
If you are making your first appointment with an organization other than the public health agency, you should confirm information about second doses with them.
Arballo emphasizes that the supply of vaccine the country receives can vary – sometimes it becomes more or less than he expects – and it determines how many appointments can be opened. “It’s a process,” he said.